The Icy Family Weekend

After struggling thru the Monday Morning Blues, listening to an annoying co-worker give me her opinion throughout the entire week I could not wait for 5:00 PM Friday.

A friend at work mentioned that this co-worker was way too preoccupied with my life outside of work. She spoke to the co-worker about the attention she was throwing in my direction and advised that she back up a bit. I spoke to the co worker myself and let her know that I was capable of making personal decisions without her interference and negativity. Speculation was that if I started dating someone I would no longer wish to do activities planned by this co-worker. Didn’t this crap just happen in High School? We are 40 year old women, get past it!!!

Sometime during this week we had decided that SHE should meet the boys. She was leaving her house early Friday afternoon to make it to LI to meet me at work. Don’t you know this is the weekend it decided to snow! What should have been a three hour trip turned into eight hours. When she called to let me know she was coming down the street the boys ran out to ensure she did not pass the house. They were very excited to meet the person that was making Mommy happy.

I had a bit of reservation about her meeting the boys. Just because I think they are wonderful does not mean that she will agree. The little guy wanted to carry her bag in, it was bigger than him. Middle guy was polite and accommodating, she was enamored with him immediately. My big guy hid under the counter and she waited until he was ready to come out. Kids that are on the spectrum for Autism will behave that way, Big guy has Asperger’s Syndrome. When he finally did come around he introduced himself and asked her “Are you a boy, you look like a boy?” She told him how happy she was to meet him, asked for a hug and said, “nah I’m not a boy but I can do all kinds of boy things.” Then the most wonderful thing happened they asked her to come in the living room so that she could tell them about boy things she can do. They argued a little about who would sit next to her and she fixed that quickly …. Big guy on the left, Middle guy on the right and Little guy on her lap. I sighed with relief, dried that tear that was escaping and took a mental picture, this was the first time my forever family was all together.

She and I had planned to take the kids out to dinner. She was exhausted from the long drive but she did not want to disappoint the kids so we all bundled up and went off to the restaurant. As usual everyone wanted to sit next to her, she handled that well by playing musical chairs during dinner. Big guy wanted to try something new, so he did and hated it. She realized he was not eating and she ordered what he normally eats and he loved her from that day on. While we were having dessert I looked at her and said “If you are going to break my heart, do it now – this is your out.” As you already know, she never did take that out or the few others that will come in the future.

We were awoken Saturday morning by my landlady, we were frozen in and the door won’t open. I threw on jeans and a sweatshirt, as I was passing the kids quietly watching cartoons around her sleeping on the couch. She was a bit puzzled that I would be leaving so early, I can’t remember what exactly she said but it was not complimentary to the landlady. I had to crawl outside thru a basement window so that I could chip away at the ice formed outside the door. EVERYTHING was covered in ice from the night before it was a bit hazardous, but I got the job done.

Once I was back in the house, starting my defrost I realized the boys were getting dressed and making a plan. She took them outside to chip the steps, sidewalk and driveway, my instructions were to stay inside so I started to make breakfast. The remainder of the weekend was games, movies and home cooked meals, we included the boys into everything.

She was never an early riser and to this day early mornings are not her thing. Monday morning came and we sprang into weekday morning mode. Everything has always been scheduled out, dressed, breakfast, teeth, packing bags with lunches for the day, etc. She was amazed at the fluidity of it all and stated that she was exhausted just watching. I gave each boy a kiss at the door and they were off, time for my morning rituals. She drove me to work and honestly I did not want to go, life does have to continue – even when you are in love.